The Historical past Of French Furniture

Center Ages 900 – 1500
Furniture of the center ages was designed to be sensible. It was typically very massive, easy and heavy.

This early furniture adopted the strains of structure. Only a few items of furniture from this period have been carved, simply these crafted to indicate off wealth.

Renaissance 1500-1610
Through the renaissance period, French craftsmen began to create furniture with deeply carved and ornate designs. Many Buffets and cupboards have been made to appear to be small buildings with affect from Roman or Greek structure.

Louise XIII 1610-1640
French furniture through the Louise XIII period was closely influenced by Italian design. The frequent theme was huge, and strong with geometric carvings.

On this period furniture was anticipated to be each lovely and cozy. Fastened upholstery turned one of many period’s nice innovations with furniture changing into padded.

Louis XIV 1640-1715
Throughout this period there was an growing fascination with the Far East and all issues Asian. French craftsmen copied the fashion and added their very own “French” affect.

Probably the most distinguished furniture of this period was extravagant and intensely detailed drawers.

Regence 1715-1730
Regence fashion furniture was influenced by an architect and cabinetmaker employed by the performing regent to Louis XIV who embellished his condo.

Regence was the period that flats got here into being. The smaller scale of those properties launched lighter, extra swish furniture. Asymmetrical curved strains changed symmetrical straight strains and easy wooden veneer as a substitute of extravagant wooden inlay.

Louis XV 1730-1770
Louis XV reigned over the “Golden Age” of French ornamental fashion. Louis French fashion furniture was influenced by the growing affect by girls of the court docket, introducing beautiful furniture with swish, female strains.

Predominant options on this period of furniture included squared corners on tables and cupboards as a substitute of rounded, legs have been straight and seat frames with ribbon twist mouldings have been introduces.

Directoire 1790-1805
This fashion of French furniture represented a break free from lavish royal types of the previous. Designs have been extra subdued and themes of antiquity and nature featured much less.

The furniture of this period moved away from geometric patterns and commenced to include Grecian urns and sculpted feminine figures. Notable traits of the period have been the Etruscan motifs reminiscent of animals and stylised palm leaves. Different motives have been influenced by the French revolution and included wreaths, torches and different warlike emblems cooloutdoorfurniture.com.

Empire 1805-1815
Empire furniture is usually massive and embellished with brass and gold colored alloy reminiscent of copper, zinc and tin. Napoleon’s Egyptian marketing campaign noticed the introduction of furniture being embellished with Egyptian motives reminiscent of sphinxes.

The furniture of this period featured daring symmetrical designs changing ornate carvings and rounded romantic shapes. Empire artists have been additionally impressed by the traditional Greco-Roman interval with ornamental components together with wreaths, swans griffins and urns. Motifs have been forged in bronze and utilized to symmetrical shapes.

The Restoration 1815-1830
The restoration coincided with the industrial revolution the place the method in furniture making modified. On the similar time center class was on the rise, growing the demand for furniture.

The styling of the empire furniture remained nonetheless, the inflexible contours turned softer and a playful contact was added. Frequent motifs of the period included musical devices, rosettes, swans and cornucopia. The restoration period additionally noticed the return of wooden inlay getting used to embellish the furniture.

Louise Philippe 1830-1850
Till now furniture had been offered piece by piece. The industrial revolution introduced new manufacturing processes, craftsmen started to make furniture units for the bed room and eating room.

Furniture of this period maintained the straightforward, rounded strains of the restoration period, however with much less ornamentation. A defining attribute of the Louis Philippe fashion was the gentle curve on the high of buffets, chests and wardrobes.

Napoleon III 1850-1880
The napoleon III fashion was described as broad, various and ostentatious. Furniture from this period took affect from the previous 500 years of French fashion. It was not unusual to see a number of furniture types combined right into a single piece of furniture.

Furniture of this period noticed the introduction of espresso tables, ottomans and cozy chaise chairs. Furniture integrated whimsical shapes, mom of pearl and sometimes included forged iron, paper mache or ivory inlay.

Art Nouveau 1880-1920
This fashion of furniture originated within the arts and craft motion in England, which revived handmade furniture and craft.

Furniture of this period continued the usage of flowing curved strains and re-introduced asymmetrical shapes paying homage to the Louise XV interval. Notable options of the period included, components of fantasy and motifs taken from Japanese prints, Gothic structure and symbolic work of English affect.

Art Deco 1920-1940
The Art Deco fashion was influenced by the Empire and Louise XVI intervals. Furniture was typically embellished with geometric shapes and Egyptian impressed motifs.

Furniture of this period was characterised by its daring geometric designs. Designers additionally experimented with unique woods, new lacquers and French polish. Furniture was embellished with metals, mom of pearl, ivory, wrought iron and wood veneers.